Verdict amounts to righting a wrong

JAN SHARMA

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court’s unanimous verdict on Tuesday to quash all writ petitions seeking the restoration of the dissolved House of Representatives rights a constitutional wrong. The verdict upholds the concept of the prime ministerial system of government clearly embodied in the fundamental law of the land. The controversial interpretations in the past of the 1990 Constitution had weakened the executive authority. The first dissolution of the popular chamber since democracy was revived 12 years ago came in July 1994 when the then prime minister GP Koirala resigned, dissolved the house and scheduled polls for November 13. However, Koirala was entrusted the job of conducting elections in a “free,fair and impartial manner.” The Supreme Court, in a summary judgement on September 12 rejected the petitions by a majority of seven votes against four. The court said the prime minister had the right and privilege to dissolve the Pratinidhi Sabha even if his resignation was accepted. It said it was not the court’s jurisdiction to look into the advice sought by the King. However, the authority of the prime minister and the spirit of the multi-party parliamentary democracy suffered a severe blow following the Court’s 1995 verdict.